A textbook of domestic science for high schools

Baked Potatoes Select smooth potatoes of uniform size. Wash and scrub them well. Place in a hot oven and bake until soft, about forty-five minutes. Serve at once in an uncovered dish. If they must stand, pierce with a fork, or break the skin, to let the steam escape. Potatoes are more digestible when baked than when cooked in any other way, as the intense heat changes some of the starch to dextrin, and all the mineral matter and other constituents are retained. Escalloped Potatoes Wash, peel, and slice raw potatoes. Put in layers in a baking dish, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper, flour, and bits of butter ; add milk to nearly cover. Cover the dish and bake 1^ h. or till the potato is soft. Uncover the baking dish during the last half hour of baking to brown the potatoes well. Warmed-over Potatoes (Boiled) Lyonnaise Potatoes 1 pt. cold boiled potatoes, cut into 2 tb. minced onions quarter inch cubes 2 tb. drippings or lard % ts. salt 1 tb. chopped parsley £ ssp. pepper Sprinkle the potatoes with the salt and pepper. Fry the onion till a light brown in the drippings, add the potatoes; stir with a fork until they are brown; add the parsley and serve. 1 tb. vinegar may be added. Stewed Potatoes 1 pt. cold boiled potatoes, diced 1 or 2 tb. butter \ c. milk \ ts. salt \ ssp. pepper 1 ts. chopped parsley Heat the milk, add the butter and seasoning and the potatoes. Simmer gently until the milk is absorbed. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Creamed Potatoes Cut one scant pint potatoes into one-fourth inch dice, sprinkle them with \ ts. salt, \ ssp. pepper ; add them to 1 c. white sauce, and when well heated, sprinkle with 1 tb. chopped parsley and serve. Potatoes au Gratin Slice 3 c. potatoes, sprinkle with 1 ts. salt and 1 ssp. pepper. Make 1 pt. white sauce. Put potatoes and sauce in alternate layers in a baking dish, having sauce for the top layer. Cover with buttered crumbs. Bake twenty-five minutes or until brown. Grated cheese, chopped green pepper, sliced hard-boiled eggs, or 1 tb. minced onion may be added to the layers. To butter crumbs. — To 1 tb. melted butter, add f c. fine bread crumbs. Mix well. Hashed Brown Potatoes Chop 1 pt. cold boiled potatoes, season highly with salt and pepper, moisten them with £ c. white sauce. Put 1 ts. lard and butter mixed in a thick iron frying pan; when hot, put in the potatoes and flatten into a cake. Cook slowly, without stirring, keeping the pan covered until a brown crust forms, about twenty minutes. Fold once and turn on to a hot platter. Warmed-over Potatoes (Mashed) Shape cold mashed potatoes into small round cakes about onehalf inch thick. Brush with milk or egg beaten with a little milk, and bake in a hot oven until brown. Or, roll the cakes in flour and sauter in hot fat, browning both sides. Potato Puff To 1 pt. mashed potatoes, add £ c. milk, 2 tb. butter, more salt and pepper if needed, 1 tb. chopped parsley, | ts. onion juice, cayenne, or paprika to taste, and 1 beaten egg. Pile lightly in a baking dish and bake in a hot oven until brown, about twenty minutes. Serve in the dish in which it is baked.